Memoirs of the Revolution in Bengal, Anno Dom. 1757 — John Shaqi
Memoirs of the Revolution in Bengal, Anno Dom. 1757Watts, William, active 1737-1758
History
Memoirs of the Revolution in Bengal, Anno Dom. 1757
Watts, William, active 1737-1758
East India Company -- History; India -- History -- 1526-1765; Plassey, Battle of, Palashi, India, 1757
It was pretty early known, that _Meer Jaffeir_ had entertained no very
favourable Notion of _Omichund_, but there was a Necessity of employing
and trusting him notwithstanding, of which though the former did not
complain, yet he did not dislike him the less. In the midst of these
arduous Transactions, and when every one else had their Hands and their
Hearts full, it came into _Omichund_'s Head to practise a little upon
_Suraja Dowlat_, probably that he might be sure of somewhat, however
Things went. He mentioned to Mr. _Watts_ this very fine-spun Project, to
which, that it appeared wild and strange, was by no means the strongest
Objection. It was, however, in vain to make any: there was Money he
thought to be got, and, if it was possible, he was resolved to get it.
On the Sixteenth of _May_ he went to the Palace, where, exerting his
admirable Faculty of magnifying the Utility and exalting the Credit of
the Advice he had to give, and having first alarmed the Suba's timid
Mind, by touching many Subjects he knew were disagreeable, and in the
Close, when he saw him sufficiently amazed, condescended to hint, that
he had found means, with great Difficulty, to come at a Secret of the
last Consequence, and for the revealing of which he was sure to lose his
Life, if it was so much as suspected that he had penetrated and
disclosed it. Promises of every kind were made, and at length out it
came, that the _English_ had discovered all his Negotiations with Mr.
_Bussy_, some Circumstances of which he mentioned; that, upon this, they
had sent two Gentlemen to confer with, and to convince him, how much
more it would be for his Interest to concur with them; and that they had
made, or were upon the Point of making, a Peace; which, without doubt,
must be at his Expence. As strange as it may seem, _Omichund_ prevailed
over a Man's Foibles, which he had studied, and deluded him into a firm
Belief of all he said, and, in consequence of this, he procured a
Perwannah, that is, an Order from the Suba to the Burdwan Rajah, one of
his Officers, for the Payment of Four Lack of Rupees which he owed him,
and the full Restitution of the remaining Part of the Money, and all the
Goods, of which he had been despoiled at _Calcutta_. This he took
wonderful Care to have immediately executed, for fear of Accidents, that
very Night; neither did he remain within the Suba's Reach long after. He
left Traces, however, behind him, that sufficiently justified _Meer
Jaffeir_'s Suspicions, and exerted that Power of perplexing, which he
possessed in full as eminent a Degree as that of persuading. This was
one principal Cause of those new Difficulties, to which Mr. _Watts_
found himself exposed, when he thought the whole Stock of his Abilities
small enough to deal with the old ones.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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